Altamont School Board Salutes Successful Athletes

Published on June 13 2018 9:54 am
Last Updated on June 13 2018 9:54 am
Written by Greg Sapp

Altamont school board members saluted the success of a number of district athletes during Monday's meeting.

Recognition was given the 7th grade girls state track and field team for their third place finish at State. Also recognized were State track and field high school athletes Jared Kollman, Tim Moore who finished fourth in pole vault, and Nate Brown who finished fourth in shot and sixth in discus. Brown was also recognized for setting a school record in the discus with a throw of 171 feet as was Tim Moore who set the pole vault record at 14' 7". Girls State qualifiers Hannah Wolff and Rachel Jackman were recognized, and Wolff was recognized for setting school records in the discus at 120' 1" and in the shot at 38' 11".

Recognition was also given the Altamont High School baseball team for winning the school's first-ever sectional championship.

There was also commendation for the school's trap shooting team. Grant Schmidt was All-State, and the team will be traveling to Michigan for a National Tournament.

Also Monday, the Altamont board heard from high school principal Jerry Tkachuk that the rate of failure at the high school for the second semester was 8.8%. The goal rate has been 8% or lower, but Tkachuk said there was "massive progress down the stretch." The school's report card to the State Board of Education shows an attendance rate of 93.5%, which Tkachuk said will become assistant principal Peggy Bueker's primary goals to reduce this next year. Tkachuk reported the graduation rate is anticipated to be one of the lower rates in many years.

The Altamont board also employed Thomas Beesley and Dale Donaldson as custodians; employed Lindsay VanBlaricum as grade school PE teacher; approved a $50/month reimbursement for administration and exempt employees for use of their personal phones on district business; approved a prevailing wage rate; and approved an athletic trainer agreement with Sarah Bush Lincoln and Bonutti Orthopedics for the coming school year.